Collapsible tube



Se t. 23. 1924. 1,509,419

5. B. COLGATE ET AL COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Filed Dec. 17. 1923 aim M A1424 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKIE.

SAMUEL BAYARD COLGATE. 0]? ORANGE, AND MARTIN HILL ITTNER, OF JERSEY CITY,

. NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS T0 COLGATE & COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JER- SEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.'

coLLAPsInLE TUBE.

Application filed December 17, 1923. Serial No. 681,067.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we. SAMUEL BAYAnn CoLoATn aI]d MARTIN HILL I'r'rNnR, both citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Orange, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, and Jersey City, county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Collapsi le Tubes; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to collapsible tubes commonly used for containing plastic or pasty materials which are to be discharged in small quantities from time to time. More specificall the invention is directed to the provision of a tube with a discharge nozzle which has an improved closure cap by which the orifice may be sealed so as to prevent contamination or accidental loss of the con tents.

Collapsible containers. of this type are in wide use at the present time for holding toilet creams, tooth paste, and the like, and these materials frequently have a tendency to become hard upon exposure to the air. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a closure which efi'ectively seals the container when the latter is not in use, not only to prevent this hardening but also for sanitary reasons. Such a closure should close the container tightly and should be of such construction that it may be readily operated either to open or' close the discharge orifice. These containers ordinarily consist of a tube of relatively soft metal, one end of which is permanently closed by a clip or other similar .device after the tube-has been filled. The ,other end of the tube is provided with a nozzle, through which the contents may be forced by collapsing the body of the tube.-

-The closure for this nozzle frequently takes the form of a cap threaded on the nozzle and having a packing disc of some sort whereb the discharge orifice may be closed. The or inary closure cap is objectionable because it must be completely removed from the nozzle to permit discharge, and consequently as the caps are quitesmall they are readilylost.

The present invention is intended to provide a tube of the type described which has a dispensing nozzle provided with a cap which is held permanently in position thereon but which is capable of adjustment so that the tube may be sealed or the contents expelled through the nozzle in the ordinary manner. This cap is also provided with a packingdisc of an improved form by means of which the orifice may be tightly closed so as to prevent leakage when the tube is not in use.

The new tube has a nozzle of the usual type formed with slightly thickened walls so as to provide the desired amount 'of rigidity. This nozzle has screw threads extending beyond its external surface, these threads being spaced below the face of the nozzle. The cap-is sin'lilarly threaded so that it may be screwed in place on the nozzle and its marginal edge is spun or turned inwardly so as to lie close to the wall of the nozzle and thus strike the threads and serve as a "stop for the extreme outward movement of the cap. On the face of the nozzle is a pack ingwasher having a central opening in registry with the orifice through the nozzle. This washer is held in place by means of a flange extending upwardly from the face of the nozzle around its periphery, the edge of the flange being turned inwardly so as to overlie and confine the edge of the washer. This washer is preferably somewhat conical in shape; that is, with a greater thickness adjacent its opening than at its periphery and the confinement of the periphery under the edge of the flange not only serves to hold the washer in position but also to compress its rim. The cap is formed with 1ncreased thickness at its center so as to provide a dome, the highest point of which is opposite the center of the orifice. Also the cap has an opening at one side of the dome. With this arrangement when the cap is screwed inwardly the domewill bear against the washer adjacent the opening and since the washer is slightly yielding the dome will make a tight contact and thusefi'ectlvely seal the orifice. When the contents of the tube are to be discharged the cap wil'l'be screwed outwardly so that the dome clears the washer and thus when the tube is collapsed the contents will pass over the edge of the washer and out through the opening in the cap.

' That embodiment of the invention which is now preferred is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through a portion of the tube and the nozzle and cap, this figure showing the cap wall thereof. These threads are spaced inwardly from the face 8 of the nozzle. The nozzle has a central orifice 9 through which material contained within the tube may be discharged, and lying on the face of the nozzle with its opening in registry with the orifice, is a packing washer 10 which may be of cork or other similar resilient material. Extending upwardly around the rim of the face is a flange ll 'having an inturned margin 12 which overlies and confines the washer.

Threaded on the nozzle is a cap 13, the lower edge 14 of which is turned lnwardly so as to lie close to the wall of the nozzle and thus the diameter of this lower ed e is less than the diameter of the threads. onsequently when the cap is screwed outwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 2

.this inturned edge will bear against the threads and prevent the complete removal of the cap. The face of the cap, as at 15, is

' domed, the highest point of this dome lying opposite the center of the orifice and the surface of this dome will seat against the highest portion of the washer and thus close the orifice when the tube is to be sealed. The cap is also provided with an opening 16, preferably of elongated form, through which the contents of the tube may be discharged.' The particular shape here illustrated pro-.

vides a discharge opening through which the plastlc material will flow in the form of a ribbon. It will be noted that the flange 11 has a slightly greater diameter than the dome and thus lies oppositea relatively thin port on of the cap as at 17. 'Thus, when the cap is forced downwardly to its extreme inward position the dome will bear against the packing washer and seal the orifice effectively, while the flange ll lying opposite the thin portion of the cap will not come in contact with it. In this way, the sealing of the cap is brought about entirely by contact of the dome with' the washer and there is no scribed has many advantages. When it is in use there is no possibility of the cap being lost or mislaid and the tube may be quickly closed. The packing washer provides a tight seal and since the dome bears against the cap over a relatively small area there is little likelihood of the plastic material remaining on the washer in such a way as permit leakage. Furthermore, the washer is tightly confined in place and the ressure exerted upon it by the cap will ten to hold it more firmly confined while the release of th1s pressure will have no tendency to cause the washer to be displaced. Also, with this arrangement there is no opportunity for the contents to enter between t e washer and the face of the nozzle so as to prevent the dome from being firmly seated against the washer. The tube as described has the further advantage that it may be opened, the contents discharged, and the tube closed with one hand. This method of o oration is a great convenience, especially w en the contents of the tube are to be discharged upon a brush.

We claim:

1. A collapsible container com rising a tube with a nozzle havin screw t reads on its outer surface lying be ow the face thereof, a central orifice in the nozzle, a packin washer lying on the face of the nozzle an having its opening in registry with the orifice, a flange extending upwardly from the face of the nozzle around the rim' of the washer and havin an edge overlying 'thls rim, a cap threade on the nozzle,- means on the cap for preventing its com lete removal from the nozzle, a dome forme on the lower face of the cap in registr with the orifice, this dome being of less iameter than the circular flange, and an opening through the cap at one side thereof.

2.'A collapsible container com rising a tube with a nozzle having screw t reads on its outer surface, an orifice throu h the nozzle, a packing washer lyin on t e face of the nozzle around the ori ce, a flange extendin upwardly from the face of the nozzle an having an inturned edge overlying and compressing the rim of they washer so as to give the washer a greater thickness at its opening than at its periphery, a cap threaded on the nozzle and having a marginal edge of less diameter than the threads on the nozzle, a dome formed on the inner face of the cap and of lessdiameter than the flange on the nozzle, and an opening through the cap at one sideof the dome.

3. A collapsible container comprising a tube of relativel soft metal with a nozzle having thickene walls, screw threads extending from the wall of the nozzle, a central orifice in the nozzle, 8. packin washer depression having a diameter substantially lying on the face of the nozzle a out the equal to the diameter of the circular flange Orifice, a central flange extending upwardly and being of suflicie'nt depth so that when 1 from the face of the nozzle about its pethe dome seats against the washer the flange 15 ,6 riphery and having an inturned edge adaptwill be clear of the cap, and an opening ed to overlie and compress the washer, a cap through the cap at one side of the dome. threaded on the nozzle and having its mar- In testimony whereof we aflix our signaginal edge inturned so as to engage against tures. the nozzle threads when the cap is screwed I 1O outwardly, a circular depression in the inner SAMUEL BAYARD COLGATE.

face of the cap forming a central dome, this MARTIN HILL ITTNEB. 

